“Allah’s Messenger said (Allah bless him and give him peace): ‘Do not extol me as the Christians extolled [Jesus] the son of Mary. I am merely a servant,’ so say: '[He is] Allah’s servant and His Messenger.’”
The Humbleness Of Sayyidina Rasoolullah
From Ash-Shama'il Al-Muhammadiyah - Hadith Reference: Ash-Shama'il Al-Muhammadiyah 329
The Prophetic Prohibition
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) explicitly forbade his companions and all subsequent generations from exaggerating in praising him, drawing a clear boundary between legitimate love and excessive veneration that leads to shirk (associating partners with Allah).
The Christian Analogy
The Prophet (ﷺ) specifically referenced the Christians' treatment of Jesus (peace be upon him), who elevated him from his true status as a noble prophet to divine status. This serves as a warning against similar theological deviation in the Muslim ummah.
The Servant Identity
By emphasizing "I am merely a servant," the Prophet (ﷺ) affirmed his complete submission to Allah while simultaneously negating any claim to divinity or supernatural essence beyond his prophetic mission.
The Prescribed Formula
The instruction to say "Allah's servant and His Messenger" establishes the proper balance - acknowledging his honored status as the final messenger while maintaining his fundamental identity as a created being utterly dependent upon his Creator.
Scholarly Commentary
Classical scholars explain that this hadith protects the purity of tawhid (monotheism) by preventing the deification of prophets. The humility demonstrated here reflects the Prophet's perfect understanding of his role and his desire to preserve the absolute transcendence of Allah.